DLMLU

Cozen

"What are you doing here?" Jae exasperatedly spoke. Somehow Jae grew fond of the young male after some time. They were close, he was practically babying him like a proper father-like figure. He let his hands roam his face and neck seeing if he was injured. Minho tensed gripping Jaes hands to remove from his body. Minho took a deep breath from the movements. It was still triggering, but he managed to control his temper.

Jae didn't take offense to Minho's grip, nor did he flinch at the response. Seeing Minho okay was a sigh of relief.

"Is head honcho here?" minho blankly responded.

"Not yet. But that doesn't answer my question. I thought you were done with this life?" Jae questioned. He walked down towards the hub entrance.

Minho silenced himself, opening the door to the main hub. An elevator entrance meant for particularly important people.

"I guess you could say, I need relief." Minho mumbled letting Jae look at him warily.

"What's the real reason Lee Minho?" Jae deadpanned. He knew it was more. Minho never came here anymore. And if he did it was mainly due to being called out by the big boss. Although minho was pretty much retired from the underground fights, it didn't stop him from popping by and seeing a few people. Jae was no exception.

"Its not lie. I need relief. I need to fight tonight." Minho blankly retorted. His voice cold and his eyes even more so.

"I know its free-for-all, and applicants for selected individuals-"

"That shouldn't be your motive to be here. You have something bothering you. And regardless of whether you choose to lie to me. I doubt honcho will even say yes. We plan these events months in advance. You haven't been in the ring for over a year, like hell I would even let you in it."

Minho groaned at the painful lecture being given. His head rolling to the side as he planted himself onto his couch. He saw jae pulling out his pack of cigarettes. He himself hasn't had one in months. One wouldn't hurt. His lips went dry at the temptation.

"It shouldn't matter why I'm here. I need the money. Honcho Vlad should be happy I'm here." Minho reached for the package from Jae's hand.

"Vlad... I'm surprised you can say his name so openly considering what he made you do-" Jae sighed heavily.

Minho tensed; they still didn't know. Minho was a hard case to crack. His guard was always up. He recalled the night Vlad made him fight the final applicator to join the main hub. It didn't end well. And he couldn't let the male sacrifice his life at that time. There was no way he could.

Ji, always wore a mask, always protected himself. He was a young male who got into trouble and started doing underground fights. Minho had been watching the young individual that night. His eyes glued to the moves, the way he defended and attacked sharply. Even if it was practically impulsive. The male anticipating every move strategically like he was playing chess. It was clean cut and solid moves. He was wearing a three-quarter sleeve length Henley. The buttons ripped off during a match of his earlier that day. His chest practically exposed. Deep jet-black hair covered in slick sweat.

If minho wasn't in the headspace of watching the male for his personal gain, he would have hit the guy up. He was massively attractive. Freakishly smart with every move.

The male was standing at the side of the cage his arms crossed watching another victim fall and lose their chance at salvation in the hub. Minho rolled his eyes when he saw the male scoff and push himself off the cage as if he owned the place. Minho took notice of the male's downtime, he knows Ji, the strange male was observing everything. From the place, the people, head honcho Vlad up at the top deck enjoying his cocktails with bunny girls.

The strange male saw everything but looked like he kept to himself a lot. Minho stood up after shooting a quick rye shot burning his throat and hissing. It sent shocks up his body as he made way to follow the strange individual to wherever he was going.

The boy was slick, but not that slick. Minho of course had to follow. It was suspicious as is, he wasn't letting someone who was roaming much less scoping the surroundings get his hands slapped or worse...

Jumping down a few steps from his 'kingdom' thrown as people called it, he bounded for the hallway the jet-black haired male snuck down. The weird adventure that whirled through his body, it felt surreal. He needed to know more about the male.

The hallways soon became empty reaching an area, no one was around, it was hardly lit. Weaving his hand through his hair he heard a small creak in the floor as he swung around. His arm grabbed something. Blurry a hand cupped over his eyes. Minho jolted backwards twisting his head under the arm and positioning himself open to see who the assailant was. His hands gripped the soft fabric shoving the male up against the wall.

"Nice to meet you too Lee Know." The soft voice spoke. It hardly shook. The males' eyes were wide but not of fear. A smirk fell upon the lips of the guy.

Cocky he was.

"I wouldn't be too happy you were caught in the wrong area at the wrong time. You shouldn't be over here." Minho growled. The male was hotter up close.

"I suggest you let go." The stranger mocked. Lightly Minho felt something jabbing his side to shift has gaze downwards to see a small pocketknife at his waist.

"Smooth-" minho eased his grip off the male. For someone afar He was a strange one. His lower lip was puffy, while his upper lip was thin, cheeks slightly round but still slim. His orbs were wider then initially thought from a distance. Minho could tell this guy wasn't much shorter than he was himself. But he carried himself as if he were a tall individual made him all that more curious of the male.

"So, you know of me. That doesn't mean anything." Minho chuckled amusingly.

"Who wouldn't know who you are. It'd be bad if I didn't know the name of the male, I took the title away from." Somehow this guy's tongue was sharp.

It put minho on edge. He was a cocky, arrogant, hot jerk. For someone younger he definitely had spice and sass. Yet something Minho quickly saw was his shaken hands. Either he was nervous, or he was jittery, though most likely the latter.

Minho walked stepped away once he saw the strange male drop the knife, putting him more at ease. He was anything but ordinary.

He was odd.

"I'll see you in the pit." Minho amusingly spoke winking at the male. He has never flirted with individuals. In fact, love was nowhere on that radar.

He didn't believe in it.

Minho dragged his cigarette to the very end of the butt. Throwing it into the ashtray with a chuckle.

Vlad- Head Honcho of the Hub. Traumatised Minho with what he 'should' have done to Ji. he didn't know the kid almost a year ago. he wondered if the kid even was alive to this day. or whether he had quit the undergrounds. minho spared his life. and that alone almost left blood on his hands. something else bothered minho about it. Ji looked familiar, and so did Jisung. but Ji didn't have tattoos back then, there was no way they were the same people. Minho laughed silently to himself. what type of drugs was he on. he indeed found himself captivated by Ji, but Jisung; he was a whole different person. minho wanted to open up. he wanted to see more of the younger. get to know what was on his mind, why he had small blades being carried around. why he kissed him without thinking.

it drove minho mad. thus, is why he was at the hub. he needed something to ease his mind. break whatever trance or drug he was taking. forget Jisung and his lips and eyes. his calming personality that made minho somehow want to be with him more. Ji was something else. they never showed each other their faces. but they connected on a whole different level. the level Minho would refuse to ever fall into again.

Jisung or not- it never would happen. He tried to lie to himself. but he knew all to well. that was a huge cozen lie. he couldn't fake it. he was feeling something for Jisung and that alone was against his beliefs. love wasn't real to him. Jisung wasn't real.

now, the hub, the fights, the pain, and suffering; that was real. that was something minho believed in as he lived it.